The official ELP disscussion thread

Prior to reading this thread I had no idea how polarizing ELP was. Although I've been listening to prog for a good 4 years now, I haven't really strayed into the community. I had always thought that ELP was a highly revered band that was essentially untouchable outside of the other prog giants of the 70s. I then noticed that they didn't have a single album in the top 100. Sure they have filler (perfect example is most of Tarkus's B side) but that doesn't retract from the fact that the rest of the album is great, with the title track being a masterpiece.
The 5 star rating is meant to be given out to "essential" albums that can be considered a "masterpiece of progressive music." The rating is not exclusive for flawless pieces of art but that doesn't mean it should be thrown around. There are plenty of albums on the Top 100 that I love and consider sublime. Yet when I get around to giving them an actual review + rating, I will not give them 5 stars because they are either not essential or masterpieces of progressive music.

Lost Follower wrote: I saw ELP at Wembley in 1974. My over riding memory is one of thinking 'What the hell am I doing here'?

ELP were great, why are they so hated everywhere???

It's interesting - on the one hand, you have prog metal fans feeling persecuted because the rest of the prog crowd has such a lowly opinion of metal. On the other hand, one of the giants of prog doesn't make the top 100.  But the reason for that is not that bonafide prog classics like Fragile or SEBTP are overrated - they deserve all the praise they get. Nor is it  because as crimson87, the anti-metalhead  - puts it, metalheads don't get ELP or whatever. I am a metalhead and I love ELP alright. Rather, I would ask what the hell are - say - Camel's albums doing so high up in the rankings.  Three of Camel's classic albums make the top 20 of Symphonic prog and that's a real stretch. Don't get me wrong, I think Camel are a good band too but I am afraid they are becoming sort of a gateway band and end up getting more than their fair share of appreciation. So if ELP is well out of the top 100, it's not any fault of us Genesis fans or that of metalheads , it's the overrating of less deserving bands that's crowded out the top 100. 

Myself, I love the s/t, Tarkus and BSS. I am lukewarm to Trilogy and Pictures at an exhibition but that's alright, I don't like each and every album of my favourite bands in general so I am not disappointed at that.

Roj M30 wrote: Lost Follower wrote: I saw ELP at Wembley in 1974. My over riding memory is one of thinking 'What the hell am I doing here'?   You should be thinking "I am a very lucky so and so".  Many people on PA would have given their right arm to see ELP in their prime. I'll bet that was a magical show.

Well I can understand why some people hereabouts might think that. But to me it was all about show and no depth. I was only 15 for a start and was surrounded by old people (They must have been mid 20's at least!) with beards and denim. No fun at allreally. ELP were. I'm sad to say and wish in no way to insult anyone here, the worst excess of over blown 70's self indulgent drivel.

A good enough reason on their own (along with Yes) for the Sex Pistols to form.

After reading thru most of this thread, I remember why I don't come here that often anymore.  First it was all the fighting about allowing Tool, Radiohead, DreamTheater.. etc.  into progarchives, then it was all the non-proggy types bashing ELP.

threefates wrote: After reading thru most of this thread, I remember why I don't come here that often anymore.  First it was all the fighting about allowing Tool, Radiohead, DreamTheater.. etc.  into progarchives, then it was all the non-proggy types bashing ELP.   I'm sorry, but evidently if you don't like ELP, you're really not progressive music fans.  ELP were and still are the definition of prog rock.  All the whining about Benny and Jeremy being filler and bringing the albums down.... bullocks!!  Thats what makes it progressive... it was ecletic, bombastic... full of life and ... Fun.    Tool, Porcupine Tree, Radiohead.... they ain't prog.  Dream Theater... maybe once in a while when they let Jordan at it... otherwise, they ain't prog either.    And I say that knowing that Porcupine Tree is probably now my favorite band... but that doesn't make them prog.  And none of them are the musicians that ELP were...

Plenty of room for ELP, Radiohead, and Porcupine Tree in my prog universe.  Haven't explored the others, so can't really comment.  ELP put out some really good albums early on and then kind of disentigrated.  Damn shame, but I like what they did.

Oh and most likely if ELP had had a lead guitarist like David Gilmour, Steve Howe, Steve Hackett.. etc. and had not been so keyboard heavy... there wouldn't be so much bashing going on.  Or you wouldn't hear that the music "didn't age" that well.

To deny the great talent of ELP is to tear out some of the roots of progressive rock, comparing them to genesis and yes is ridiculous, all these bands were wonderful in their own special ways, I suspect some people who bash ELP do not like them, that is okay, their legacy is rock solid